Rebellion
by Asp Pentacle97
Summary: Ginny meets a very unlikely person in a Muggle club and they strike up an usual partnership. Is Draco a bad influence on the rebellious teen, or is he the only one who can see the real her? DM/GW
1. Chapter One  The White Knight

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this piece of literature are mine, they all belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I'm also making zero cash off of this, more the pity.

**A/N**: Hello all. This is the first Draco/Ginny fic I've written so the characters may be a little off, but I tried to stick as close to the originals as I could. Don't let the chapter title alarm you, Draco isn't going to be a warm fuzzy bunny in this story. There will be plenty of snark from both parties, have no fear. More chapters are on their way, but pretty, pretty please comment on this one, I love having feedback! Thanks to everyone.

**Chapter One**

**The White Knight**

It was the atmosphere of the club that she loved the most. The lights, the music, the food, it was all well and good, but it was the raw, pounding, intoxicating feeling of the place that drew Ginny Weasley there.

It had been easy enough to sneak out. She wasn't the younger sister of Fred and George for nothing. One word to her brothers, and she had had Muggle money, a bus ticket, and a fake Muggle ID in her hands within the hour. Ah, the wonders of blackmail…

It helped that, for some reason, people always assumed that she was older then sixteen. She wasn't sure what exactly it was about her appearance, but no one questioned the lying piece of plastic that said she was eighteen. Ginny had often pondered the mystery, staring into the mirror for hours, but tonight she was just grateful that she was able to gain access to her sanctuary.

Because it was a haven for her. Here, she wasn't under the watchful eye of either her mother or Ron (who was far too overprotective). Here, she wasn't "just another Weasley", or the baby of the family, always coddled and smothered and doted on.

Don't take this the wrong way, for Ginny loved her family very, very much. She was infinitely loyal to them and insanely proud to be able to bear the name of Weasley. But sometimes everything just got too much.

She felt stifled, surrounded by too much pressure to be the perfect daughter; not an adventurer like Bill and Charlie, not irresponsible like Fred and George, not a prat like Percy, not constantly getting into danger like Ron. No, she had to be the good child.

And she had been. She had tried. She hadn't made waves, she'd kept her head down (mostly) and her grades up, and above all she had kept a respectable reputation for herself.

But Ginny Weasley was tired of being the good child.

And so she had made her way to the clubs. It was easy to sneak out of the house. Fred and George had been doing it for years and Mum was none the wiser. One short bus ride later and she was in the city. It wasn't a huge city, but it was big enough that it had a decent club.

It was a respectable enough joint. There weren't drug dealers in every corner (only the one near the males' lavatory) and the number of creepers was at a minimum (usually only one per every twenty feet or so). The music was pretty good and they even had an authentic DJ, not just the owner's destitute cousin-in-law. But most importantly, it had that vibe to it, the one that Ginny loved, the one that freed her of all the expectations of her family and just let her be her.

It was on her fifth visit that things got interesting. Ginny sat at the bar, sipping on some soda and watching the crowd of dancers. One of the guys was looking back at her intently, running his eyes suggestively over the tight black tank top and the black jeans tucked in knee-high leather boots that she was wearing.

Ginny smiled to herself, absently stirring her drink with her straw while she thought of what her mother would say if she saw her dressed like this. The image was sure to strike fear into the heart of any weaker being, but Ginny simply found it amusing. What her mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Someone flopped down in the seat next to her, knocking into her shoulder and almost causing her to fall out of her chair, not mention putting the stability of her drink in peril.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, turning towards the perpetrator with the intention of telling him (given the muscle content of the shoulder that had slammed into her, it had to be a guy, or a very butch woman) exactly what she thought of his rudeness, but she was struck dumb at the sight of him.

"What on earth are _you_ doing here?" Draco Malfoy asked nastily, clearly as surprised as Ginny was, but immediately taking the offensive. "Shouldn't you be at that hovel you call a house with your dear mummy?"

"I could ask you the same question, _Malfoy_," Ginny shot back, quickly recovering her voice, spurred on by the blonde's infuriating sneer. "What the bloody hell are you doing in a _Muggle_ club in the wee hours of the night?"

"I'm dancing," Malfoy replied loftily, looking down his nose at her disdainfully. "It's what one does at a club. Even you should know that, _Weaselette_." Ginny could tell that she was rapidly turning the same shade as her hair and that her restraint on her temper would only hold for so much longer.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then," Ginny snapped, getting up and walking towards the guy who had been eyeing her earlier, seething. Of all the people she could have run into in this place, why did it have to be _him_, her family's mortal enemy?

Draco watched the youngest Weasley get out of her chair and stride off in the direction of the dance floor, her face a shade of red that could rival her hair. He had to admit, her ass looked very nice in those pants.

He smirked, imagining what she would do if she knew he was looking at her ass. Something violent, no doubt. But she should know better then to come to a place like this dressed like that, unless she wanted groped by every passing guy, and potentially some girls too. But obviously she didn't think of that. Naive imbecile, thought the world was all puppies and sunshine. She had no idea about the amount of sexual depravity and posturing that went on in places like this…

Draco raised his eyebrows. Weasley had just made her way over to a tall, muscular guy and had a hand on his arm, smiling flirtatiously as she said something. Whatever it was, the guy certainly agreed with it, because the pair started dancing to the music.

It wasn't the flirting that has surprised the young Malfoy (though that was interesting enough coming from the usually unconcerned Weaselette). It was the dancing. He was vaguely shocked at the way that she danced. He'd had no idea she could move like that. She rubbed against her partner like a cat, sinuously stretching and arching her body in ways that would make any man go crazy.

And it was certainly having that effect on her partner. He ran his hands all over her body, roughly rubbing her and pressing her back against him. It was enough to make Draco want to vomit. Had the man never heard of finesse? It was not the nature of the man's actions that offended him (Merlin knew he had certainly done his fair share of groping), but it was the lewdness of them. As a member of the male gender, Draco demanded that all carriers of the Y chromosome show just a tiny bit of grace when it came to women, if only to show themselves as the superior sex.

The spectacle continued for several more moments. Now the idiot was slobbering on her neck. It made Draco want to go over and slap the imbecile, then tell him to get a grip on himself and remember his dignity.

It seemed the Weasel was of the same mind. Stepping away from him, she turned and smiled, saying something which was probably nice and sweet so as not to hurt his feelings. The guy's face (and probably another portion of his anatomy) fell and he began to plead with her, obviously trying to get her to continue dancing with him. Draco could just imagine the wheedling tone that the guy was using and it annoyed him to no end. Where was this guy's pride?

Weasley spoke again, obviously still trying not to hurt this guy's feelings. She looked at him almost with pity and seemed to be about to give into the idiot's pleading. That was the last straw for Draco.

Sliding out of his chair, he strode across the space between him and the pair purposefully, shouldering aside the people that got in his way and ignoring the resulting insults being hurled in his direction.

"Hey, hun," Draco said, smoothly wrapping an arm around the Weasel's waist. "Sorry to run off, a friend needed me. I hope you didn't miss me too much."

The look that the redhead gave him was worth the effort. It was a combination of shock, confusion, and fury. She made to pull away from him, but Draco kept his arm wrapped around her tightly.

"Who are you?" the guy asked aggressively, glaring at Draco and taking a menacing step forward.

"Me? Oh, I'm a friend from school," Draco said smoothly, cutting across Weasley's spluttering easily and smiling. "Who are you?"

"I'm her dance partner," the guy snarled, seemingly taking the mocking smile as a threat. "So why don't you just bugger off and find some other bird to chase?"

"Excuse me," Weasley said, glaring at the guy, momentarily forgetting the fact that Draco still hadn't removed his arm from around her waist. "But I will decide who I dance with and when."

"So run along," Draco couldn't resist adding, smirking at the other male as he was subjected to the infamous Weaselette glare. The guy was lucky that his face wasn't covered in flying boogies.

The guy swelled up like a bull frog, but something in Draco's steely gaze made him stop. Taking one last look at the Weaselette's breasts (which were quite enticing up close), the other male stormed off, no doubt going in search of some slag who would suck him off in the bathroom. Draco grinned, pleased with himself.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ginny demanded, turning and looking at Malfoy, who had a very smug look on his face, with incredulity.

"I noticed that you seemed to be having trouble getting rid of that idiot," Malfoy said coolly, shrugging his shoulders.

"And so you decided to, what, ride to my rescue like some white knight?" she asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the smirking blonde.

"Sir Lancelot, at your service," Malfoy replied cheekily, bowing elegantly to Ginny, who rolled her eyes.

"Lancelot wasn't a white knight. For Merlin's sake, he had an affair with his best friend's wife!" she couldn't resist saying (the King Arthur legends were an obsession of hers), even though she knew she was opening herself up to mocking.

"I know," Malfoy replied, smiling wickedly. Ginny was suddenly struck by how different he looked when he smiled, even evilly. It was like watching a sheet of ice break and seeing the movement of the cold water underneath. There was no warmth in the expression, but there was the potential, as if you knew that with just the right amount light hitting them the waters would lose their chill and move freely.

"Yes?" Malfoy asked, his smirk firmly back in place, raising his eyebrows at Ginny, who shook herself from her contemplations, a blush creeping up her neck.

"What?" she snapped, feeling guilty for having been around Malfoy for this long and not cursing him or hitting him.

"You were staring at me," Malfoy replied, the smirk becoming more and more pronounced. "See something you like, Weaselette?" Immediately Ginny's hackles went up.

"In your dreams, ferret-face," she spat, turning and stalking away, making a beeline for the exit. She couldn't believe that she had actually had what could pass for a civil conversation with Malfoy. It must have been the whole club atmosphere, she decided. She was drunk on it. That explained everything.

Feeling much better, Ginny got her coat from the coat-check and made her way out the door. The summer night wasn't overly warm, but it was comfortable enough that Ginny paused for a moment, savoring the feeling of being on her own and not having to rush off somewhere. She could just stand here and enjoy the night if she wanted.

Rough hands grabbed her and wrenched her backwards towards the shadows of the building and the darkened alley that ran behind it. It surprised Ginny, who let out a shriek as her captor began to tow her backwards.

Draco watched the girl Weasel march away with a smirk. She was a testy little thing. He thoroughly enjoyed watching the blood creep up her neck as she got angrier and angrier. It was highly entertaining.

But she was gone now and the place was starting to bore him. He walked quickly to the doorway, intending to go find a quiet corner in the alley to Apperate in. But as he stepped out the door he heard a scream come from his right. He whipped his head around and saw some great hulking mass dragging a petite redhead backwards. It was the Weaselette

Not stopping to think, Draco strode towards them, reaching for his wand, intending to curse every single drop of blood out of the attacker with an interesting new spell he had learned. Here was the perfect opportunity to test it.

But before he could even say the incantation, the redhead jammed her elbow into her assailant's stomach, causing him to grunt in pain and surprise. Pulling out of his now slackened grip, the redhead whipped around, her fiery hair swirling out in a sheet around her, and slammed her foot into her attacker's knee. He went down, just in time to for his face to meet her knee as she grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into her upraised knee. Draco heard the crack of a broken nose as the man fell backwards. But the Weaselette wasn't done yet. With all her might she stomped on the guy's groin and then kicked him hard in the side of the head, knocking him out.

Draco just stood there, completely flabbergasted, as the girl Weasel turned around and faced him, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Her eyebrows went up in surprise when she saw him standing there, wand raised.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" she demanded, her voice sharp. Draco instantly recovered himself, lowering his wand and tucking it back into his pants.

"I heard a scream and decided I wanted to try out my new Blood-Letting Curse," he replied casually, staring at the Weaselette, still unable to fully process what had just happened, but determined to save face. "However, it appears you did not need my help."

"In what world would _you_ ever help _me_, Malfoy?" the girl Weasel asked, her voice sounding tired. The fight seemed to be catching up to her. Wrapping her coat around her thin body more firmly, she walked past him, her long red hair falling across her face and hiding her eyes from view. Draco watched her go, a funny feeling in his chest.

She was different, he decided, running through the events of the night in his head. Different then any other girl he had met. She was fierce, and wild, and uncontrollable. She was like a wildfire. She rolled right through and all you could do was hope you didn't get scorched.

But she tried so hard to contain it. Draco could see the sheer animalistic power roiling beneath her skin. He knew she could feel it too, but she was determined to hide it deep within herself, to shove the beast away in a little corner and ignore it. But the beast, her very nature, wouldn't go quietly. And that made her interesting.

A small smile curled across Draco's lips. He chuckled to himself. Looks like he had a new summer project. Because now he was determined that he, Draco Malfoy, would be the one to release Ginny Weasley's beast.


	2. Chapter Two  Sweet and Sour

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this piece are mine, they all belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I'm also making zero cash off of this, mores the pity.

**A/N:** This is a Ginny chapter. Don't worry, Draco will be in the next one and things are going to get interesting soon! ;)

**Chapter Two**

**Sweet and Sour**

Ginny's legs were shaking, making it difficult to mount the steps of the bus that would take her back home. She dropped into the empty seat she found and leaned back, closing her eyes and letting out a shaky breath. Now that the adrenaline was starting to recede, the shock and fear created by the attack hit her full force.

The summer before she had started her first year at Hogwarts her brothers had taught her Muggle dueling. Well, Fred, George, and Ron (who had been mostly used as the demonstration dummy) had. Percy had turned his nose up at it, calling them immature.

It was the one time that Ginny had ever seen Fred and George serious about anything not involving their joke shop. They had sworn that no sister of theirs would go walking around "all those horny blokes who don't give a flying rat's ass about propriety" without a basic knowledge of how to defend herself. Ginny had laughed at it then, seeing it as just a fun way to work off energy, pass the time, and torture Ron. But she was very grateful for it now.

Her mind zoomed back to the attack. She knew perfectly well what that man had intended to do to her in the alley. She was neither stupid nor naïve. She remembered how the hot spike of adrenaline had shot through her, freeing her mind and allowing her to react as she did, pulling all those moves, which were drilled into her brain from hours of practice, out from the past and implementing them in the present. That heat was gone now, leaving her cold and clammy feeling.

The bus ride seemed to stretch for an eternity. Ginny's mind seemed determined to torment her, replaying the attack over and over again, except the ending was constantly different. Over and over she was presented with, in vivid detail, the worst things that could have happened if she had failed to defend herself.

By the time Ginny got off the bus, she was close to tears. She just wanted to get home and wash the feel of that man's hands off her with gallons upon gallons of hot water and at least twenty bars of soap. Every shadow on the walk back was another assailant lying in wait, every gust of wind the sound of him breathing as he crept up on her, determined to finish what he had started.

Ginny opened the front door of her house with a sob of relief. She slipped inside and shut it quietly behind her, locking the terror outside, where it belonged. Taking off her boots, she tiptoed quietly up the stairs, heading directly towards the bathroom.

As she rounded the last corner she slammed into something solid. She was thrown backwards, but warm hands grabbed her, holding her tight. Ginny panicked, her primal instincts taking over, and began to struggle.

"Ginny! Ginny, easy, it's only me," said that dark shape. Ginny froze. She knew that voice. Gradually her pulse began to slow and her breathing returned to normal.

"Harry?" she asked hesitantly, trying to see his face, but it was too dark.

"Yeah, it's me," Harry replied, dropping his hands. His voice was uncertain. "Who did you think it was? The minute I grabbed you, you started thrashing like a wildcat."

"I'm sorry," Ginny said, absolutely mortified that she had let her imagination get away with her like that. "I'm just a little shaky. I was attacked –"

"What?" Harry snarled, grapping her again and pulling her closer to him, straining to see her face. "What do you mean attacked?" Ginny bit her lip to stop herself from cursing, realizing her blunder too late. Knowing Harry he was seconds away from charging off to go kill whatever attacked her, waking up the whole house in the process.

"Come in here," she said, grabbing his hand and hauling him down a flight of stairs and into her room. Closing the door, she flicked on the light and turned around to face him.

Harry stood in the middle of the room in only a pair of jeans. Ginny watched as he quickly turned a brilliant shade of red. It seemed he too had just realized that he wasn't wearing very much. Or maybe it was her own outfit that made him blush and quickly avert his eyes.

"Erm, sorry about, you know," Harry mumbled, gesturing to himself. Ginny couldn't help but grin at his embarrassment.

"Harry, I have six older brothers," she said, walking past him and sitting on her bed. "I've seen more then my fair share of naked chests."

"Right," Harry said hurriedly, turning and facing her, being very careful to focus on her face and not anything further south. "Now, care to explain to me why you are dressed like you just came from a party and what exactly you meant about being _attacked_?"

Ginny sighed. She figured it was better to tell him the truth then have him go tearing off to her brother with tales of her coming in late at night dressed like a hooker and jumpy as hell. She motioned for him to join her on the bed.

"I've been going out to clubs," she began, ignoring his noise of outrage. "Muggle ones. Tonight, when I was coming out of the club, I was jumped by some Muggle bloke. He attempted to drag me into the alley behind the club, but I defended myself and knocked him unconscious. End of story."

Harry had gotten redder and redder throughout the entire time Ginny was talking and now he opened his mouth, clearly intent on telling Ginny (no doubt in a very loud voice) exactly what he thought of her tale. Ginny slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Do you want to get me killed?" she asked, glaring at him. "If you wake Mum up and she sees me like this, I'll end up six feet under. Now, you can call me any kind of idiot you want, as long as you do it _quietly_." Harry glowered at her for a few moments before sighing and nodding. Ginny took her hand away slowly, watching him intently to make sure he wasn't about to start bellowing.

"Are you absolutely insane?" he hissed, his voice quiet but still seething with anger. "Do you have any idea of what could have happened to you out there?"

"I've got a damn good idea, thanks very much," Ginny snapped back, her mind bringing up the images that had tormented her on the bus. She began to shake. Her body knew she was safe and was now releasing all the pent up tension and fear.

"Ginny…?" Harry asked hesitantly as he saw her begin to tremble. His gentle voice was the last straw. Ginny felt the tears begin to form and she leapt to her feet, quickly turning her back on him as she attempted to wipe her traitorous eyes unobtrusively.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice concerned, unsure whether the shaking had come from anger or sorrow.

"I'm fine," Ginny managed to say, cursing her voice for sounding so thick and choked.

"Like hell you are," Harry replied, standing and gripping her shoulders, gently turning her to face him. Ginny looked up at him, her brown eyes, which were swimming with tears, peeking through the curtain of her red hair.

Harry wrapped his arms around the slender redhead and held her close. She stayed rigid for a few moments, clearly fighting against her emotions, but the feelings of fear and vulnerability won out, causing her to collapse in his arms.

Pulling both of them down onto the bed, Harry gently brushed the long red hair out of Ginny's face. Tears coursed silently from her closed eyes as she buried her head in the warm crevice between his shoulder and his neck, slim arms snaking around him almost shyly. Harry leaned back against the headboard, cradling her against his chest as she cried.

She didn't make a sound as she wept. It unnerved Harry slightly. It almost would have been better if she sobbed and trembled. But she just laid there, so still that if not for the shallow rise and fall of her chest Harry would have been convinced he was holding a corpse.

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered after little while, pulling away from him and sitting up. Harry let her go reluctantly. He had enjoyed the feel of her in his arms and the delicious smell of her hair, almost like summer flowers. It wasn't until this moment that he realized just how _much_ he enjoyed it.

"Don't be sorry," he murmured, reaching out and gently brushing her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. This move brought him closer to her, so close he could almost count the freckles on her nose. She looked so small and vulnerable, looking at him with her big, innocent doe eyes. Taking a deep breath, Harry leaned forward and gently kissed her.

Ginny froze. Harry's lips were warm and comforting on hers. She tried to relax, telling herself '_This is Harry fucking Potter, you fool! You've wanted to kiss him since you were ten years old! So stop being an idiot and enjoy it!_' But she couldn't. She pulled away.

"Harry…" she began, unsure of exactly what to say. She was unable to meet his brilliant green eyes, which were filled with tenderness and hope. "I'm sorry, I can't." Harry looked puzzled for a moment, then it dawned on him.

"You mean, you don't…?" he asked, still looking slightly confused. Ginny shook her head, feeling like she was about to cry again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, forcing back tears as she looked at Harry's perplexed and hurt face.

"Is there someone else?" he asked, trying to keeping his emotions off of his face and failing miserably. Ginny shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she said again, knowing it was redundant but unable to think of anything else to say. "If you had asked me six months ago I would have probably passed out with happiness." Harry smiled half-heartedly at her.

"I'm always too late," he said, his voice far thicker then it had been previously. Ginny could see the ghosts of all those he had been too late to save swimming in his eyes, especially Sirius. She wanted to reach out to him (he was still her friend after all) but she knew it would only make it hurt more.

"I should go," Harry said after a few moments of heavy silence. He made to reach out to her, but stopped, clenching his hand into a fist and turning away. He opened the door and exited the room silently, closing the door behind him.

Ginny let out a deep breath when he left. She felt guilty, but it was just one thing too many tonight. Locking the door, she changed out of her club clothes and into the overlarge shirt and comfortable sweats she slept in. She still wanted to shower, but she knew she wouldn't be able to stand up for that long without falling asleep and probably giving herself a concussion from toppling over.

Turning off the light, she curled up in bed, arms wrapped around her chest. She wanted to be held so badly, to be cuddled and told everything would be alright. But there was no one there. There never was.

Leaning over the edge of her bed, Ginny reached under it and pulled out a white stuffed horse. The horse, Gem, had been with her for as long as she could remember. Ginny smiled, remembering all the adventures they had gone on together, and how long she had tried to convince her mother to let her get a real horse. Her mother had never gone for it, of course, but Ginny had never given up hope. She wanted to ride more then she wanted to do anything else.

Wrapping her arms around Gem, Ginny lay back, wishing the black tides of sleep would wash over her. But there was no chance of that. Instead of letting herself dwell on the attack, Ginny instead tried to figure out when she had stopped being in love with Harry.

It was the beginning of summer, she guessed, when she had first started going to the clubs. When she had started to get a taste of a life outside the controlled one she lived. The moment she had tasted that freedom, her love for Harry began to fade.

She knew that he would never be able to accept that part of her, the wild part. No one would, not her family or her friends. She guessed she just wasn't made to be loved, not all of her. There wasn't anyone in the world crazy enough to embrace that side of her.

A smirking blonde youth floated to front of her mind, his liquid grey eyes alight with mirth and sarcasm. Ginny quickly slammed that thought out of her head. She may be going a little wild, she told herself sternly, but there was no way she was going _that_ crazy.

Turning over, Ginny hugged Gem tight to her and began to drift off to sleep, determinedly refusing to allow even one sliver of a certain blonde obnoxious git to penetrate her thoughts before sleep claimed her.


	3. Chapter Three  Internal Rhythms

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this piece are mine, they all belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I'm also making zero cash off of this, mores the pity.

I also don't own any of the songs mentioned. They all belong to their respective people/bands/you-know-what-I-mean ('Monster' to Skillet and 'Bring Me To Life' to Evanescence). And while I'm in the disclaimer-y mood, I don't own Coke either. I wish I did.

*lyrics* denotes lyrics of a song

**Chapter Three**

**Internal Rhythms**

Draco sat at the bar with his back to the wall and an unobstructed view of the door. He sighed. Waiting was not his strong suited. He was used to everything happening as he willed it. But, of course, _she_ just had to be contrary.

Suddenly he began to wonder if she was coming at all tonight. The thought had never occurred to him before. Perhaps the attack had scared her off. But Draco seriously doubted that. No, not that little spitfire. She wouldn't be scared off by some Muggle scum. She would come back, maybe not tonight, but she would eventually come back into his grasp.

As if summoned by his thoughts, the door opened and there she stood, a slender waif dressed all in black with a luscious mane of red hair. Draco smiled secretly to himself. At last he would be able to implement the plans that he had spent all night concocting, unable to sleep, his mind buzzing with analyses and images.

But for the moment he was content to just sit there and watch her. Her brown eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene. Draco held the tethers of a Concealment Charm in his mind, not wanting her to spot him just yet, but her eyes didn't wander in his direction.

Instead he saw a muscle in her neck relax as she let out a deep breath. She pulled off her coat and handed it to the woman behind the bar. The multicolored lights slid over her skin like neon hands, caressing her and teasing her, beckoning her out onto the dance floor.

But she resisted. Instead she turned away from the crowd and sat down at the bar. Her shoulders hunched over and her head hung low, as if the weight of it was too much for her to bear. She spoke to the bartender in a low voice and soon he returned with a tall glass of Coke. She sipped it morosely, hands loosely clasped around opposing forearms, as if she was hugging herself.

Draco frowned. This was not normal behavior for her. Even he knew that. She looked a dog that had just been kicked. Draco sighed. Well, this certainly threw a wrench into his plans. Damn woman. Just had to be contrary, didn't she?

Or maybe not. The thought suddenly struck him. This might work out even better then he had planned. A few minor adjustments to compensate for the new variable and his plans were ready to be put in motion.

Standing, he walked over to her, waiting until he stood directly behind her. She didn't even move or acknowledge his presence. Draco frowned again. In any normal circumstance she would have whipped around by now, demanding to know (if he were a stranger) who he was and what business he had standing behind her. But now she just sat there, as if absorbed in her own world.

"I wondered if you were going to come back," Draco said conversationally, slipping into the vacant seat beside her. She jerked, coming out of her contemplations and turning quickly to face him. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she saw who it was and her eyes darkened.

"Well, I did," she snapped, turning back to her drink, her shoulders stiff. "Sorry to disappoint. Actually, no, I don't bloody care what you think. Just leave me alone, Malfoy."

"Who says I was disappointed?" Draco asked, giving her his most charming smile. She just turned and glared at him again. There was so much fire in her eyes that for one moment Draco considered backing off. But then he shook himself. He was a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake, and he was more than match for some scrawny girl, no matter how fiercely she glowered at him.

"I'm glad you came back," he continued, a slight drawl creeping into his voice as he reclined in his seat and regarded the people around them. "Muggles get so boring after a while. No fire."

Draco turned his head slightly just so he can see her expression. She wasn't looking at him, but he could tell that she was listening, a little perplexed by the whole situation. He grinned.

"I mean," he continued, settling more comfortably into his chair, "don't get me wrong, there are pretty attractive Muggle girls here. But they're so shallow. There's nothing below the surface, no hidden beast just waiting to be released. Unlike you."

Draco glanced at her again. She still wasn't looking at him, but her head was turned slightly more in his direction, as if she wanted to make sure that she was hearing him correctly.

"You, on the other hand," Draco said, turning fully towards her again. "You're different. You've got a spark in you that these other girls don't have. Everyone knows it. But you keep it all locked up. It's a shame really."

She turned and looked at him now. Their faces were less then six inches apart. Draco's breath caught is his throat. Her brown eyes were burning. It was like watching amber flames lick at a piece of glass, slowly melting it away.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, but without her usual ire. This was an honest question. There was curiosity in her voice, but with a deeper undercurrent laced below the surface, giving the question so many different meanings that Draco wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to know. So he cleared his throat and gave her the answer she seemed to expect.

"I'm just looking for a good time," he said casually, smiling at her. But he felt anything but casual. He could feel the heat of her beating on him, warming him in places he didn't think was possible.

A new song came on. The redhead jerked her head up at the first few notes and looked towards the dance floor. There seemed to be longing on her face, but also a deep kind of sadness. Draco saw it and got to his feet.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, inclining his head and offering his hand to her in a formal way. He ruined the effect slightly by looking up at her and grinning nefariously. She smiled at him and nodded, placing her hand in his.

Warmth rushed through his entire body. Her soft, warm hand felt like it was scorching his cool one. He resisted the urge to kiss it and instead let her lead him out onto the dance floor.

Ginny wondered if she had gone absolutely mad as she walked with Malfoy out onto the floor. This was ridiculous. Why on earth was she setting herself up for miserable teasing later? Did she have some kind of death wish?

But then the music hit her and she forgot everything else. She closed her eyes and began to move, letting the rhythm fill her as 'Monster' by Skillet came on.

_*The secret side of me, I never let you see  
>I keep it caged but I can't control it<br>So stay away from me, the beast is ugly  
>I feel the rage and I just can't hold it.*<em>

Ginny jumped when cool hands slipped around her waist. Her eyes shot open. Malfoy's face was inches from hers. His lips were slightly parted and his grey eyes bore into hers. She felt like she was drowning in those depths, falling down into a stormy grey sea.

_*It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls  
>It comes awake and I can't control it<br>Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head  
>Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?*<em>

Malfoy moved with her, matching the movement of her hips with his own, never quite touching except for his hands on her waist. Ginny couldn't bear the intensity of his gaze and closed her eyes, letting the music fill her once more.

_*I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<br>I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<em>

_I, I feel like a monster  
>I, I feel like a monster*<em>

She could feel him close to her. Her heart beat quicker. His cold hands were getting warmer on her skin, sucking some of the heat away from her. She relaxed a little, letting herself sway a little closer.

_*My secret side I keep hid under lock and key  
>I keep it caged but I can't control it<br>'Cause if I let him out he'll tear me up, break me down  
>Why won't somebody come and save me from this, make it end?<em>

_I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<br>I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster*<em>

Her hips brushed against his. She advanced and retreated, letting the music guide her. The words pierced her heart and she realized how true they were. The fire inside her uncurled and began to burn. She could feel it bubbling up.

_*I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<br>I, I feel like a monster  
>I, I feel like a monster<em>

_It's hiding in the dark, it's teeth are razor sharp  
>There's no escape for me, it wants my soul, it wants my heart<br>No one can hear me scream, maybe it's just a dream  
>Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster*<em>

She didn't know how much longer she was going to survive. The heat was flooding her every pore. She knew from experience that heat was deadly. It burned up anyone it was directed at, consuming them. She moved more freely, trying to work the heat off.

_*I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<br>I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster*<em>

She was loosing control. There was nothing to hold onto. She was sinking into the fire, into the song. There was no one to save her. There never was.

_*I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster<br>I've gotta lose control, he's something radical  
>I must confess that I feel like a monster*<em>

Faster. Faster. Lose yourself. No, hold on. Nothing there. Nothing to hold onto. Falling. Drowning. Heat everywhere. Consuming.

_*I, I feel like a monster  
>I, I feel like a monster<br>I, I feel like a monster  
>I, I feel like a monster*<em>

Cold hands grabbed her. Ginny's eyes snapped open. He was standing there, hands around her waist. His blond hair was slightly disheveled and there were two spots of the lightest pink on his high cheekbones. His eyes were turbulent tempests and they were looking straight at her.

Those eyes seemed to strip away every wall she had ever put up. They pierced her armor and wiggled through the cracks. He saw all of her. He saw what was hiding within. He looked upon everything that she was, every fault that she had, and leaned forward.

"You are not a monster," he whispered, his lips almost touching her ear, his breath warm against her skin. Ginny pulled back and looked at him, the one who should have been her greatest enemy, different emotions fighting for dominance within her.

Draco had been entranced watching her dance. Her long red hair flowed around her like a glowing scarlet waterfall, seemingly having a life of its own. He was content to just be near her and watch her move to the rhythm of the song.

But then something changed on her face. Her movements became more frenzied and she tensed up. She looked angry and scared and fierce and lost all at the same time. That's when Draco really began to listen to the lyrics.

When he heard them he knew what was wrong. They were reaching into that part of her that Ginny Weasley didn't want to acknowledge and they were stirring up feelings, feelings of hate and anger and the desire to just let herself go. She was fighting them. And she was losing.

Draco stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her towards him. Her eyes snapped open. They were filled with flames and fear and something darker, something that lurked behind them, just waiting to spring. Draco leaned down and whispered in her ear what he knew she needed to hear.

She pulled back and looked at him. He could see so many different emotions vying for dominance in her gaze. Confusion, anger, fear, sorrow, desire, need, mistrust, hope, gratitude, lust, they were all there. She looked both vulnerable and utterly impenetrable at the same time. Draco longed to run his fingers through that long hair and pull her to him and drink her down. But he knew that would result in some form of a painful injury, so he resisted.

Another song came on. The haunting melody filled the club, wrapping around the dancers and sliding into their skin. Draco shivered. Ginny's brown eyes narrowed slightly and she looked at him with concern.

Draco wasn't sure what was written on his face, but her eyes widened in surprise. She seemed to fight with herself for a moment. Then her chin lifted stubbornly and Draco wondered for a moment if he was about to be cursed into a pile of jelly.

_*How can you see into my eyes like open doors?  
>Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb<br>Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold  
>until you find it there and lead it back home*<em>

Warm hands slid slowly up his arms, leaving trails of fire behind them, and joined behind his neck. Ginny stepped closer to him until their bodies were touching. Draco looked at her in confusion. She smiled at him.

_*(Wake me up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(I can't wake up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(Save me)  
>call my name and save me from the dark<br>(Wake me up)  
>bid my blood to run<br>(I can't wake up)  
>before I come undone<br>(Save me)  
>save me from the nothing I've become*<em>

Draco's heart jumped uncomfortably. Her smile seemed to shoot electricity straight into his chest. He could feel the warmth coming off her in waves.

_Now that I know what I'm without  
>you can't just leave me<br>breathe into me and make me real  
>bring me to life<em>

Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer. He knew he was flirting with death, but he didn't want to let her go. She was so warm. It was an unusual feeling for him, the feeling of heat coursing through his body.

_*(Wake me up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(I can't wake up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(Save me)  
>call my name and save me from the dark<br>(Wake me up)  
>bid my blood to run<br>(I can't wake up)  
>before I come undone<br>(Save me)  
>save me from the nothing I've become<em>

_Bring me to life  
>(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)<br>Bring me to life*_

They danced slowly, languidly, swaying not to the music, but to their own rhythm, the one that beat within their ears and their hearts. Draco could feel himself absorbing the heat pulsing from the redhead, drawing it into his body and into his heart.

_*Frozen inside without your touch  
>Without your love, darling<br>only you are the life among the dead_

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
>kept in the dark but you were there in front of me<br>I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
>got to open my eyes to everything<br>Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul  
>don't let me die here<br>there must be something more  
>bring me to life*<em>

All Draco could see was red hair and brown eyes. He was drowning in those eyes. They were swallowing him up. He ran one hand up her back until he could feel the soft tresses of her hair brushing his skin. He sighed in contentment, feeling some tension drift away.

_*(Wake me up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(I can't wake up)  
>Wake me up inside<br>(Save me)  
>call my name and save me from the dark<br>(Wake me up)  
>bid my blood to run<br>(I can't wake up)  
>before I come undone<br>(Save me)  
>save me from the nothing I've become<em>

_(Bring me to life)  
>I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside<br>(Bring me to life)*_

The song ended. But Draco didn't pull away from her. He felt content and he didn't want to lose that feeling. It was as if some hole inside of him, one he hadn't even know he had, had been filled with something warm.

Ginny looked up at the taller blond and was captivated by his eyes. They didn't look like ice anymore. There was fire in them, turning them from grey to silver. There was a small smile on his lips, but it wasn't disdainful or cynical. He looked… happy. Peaceful.

Ginny pulled away. He let her go, but she saw his face fall. Gone was the look of contentment. Now he just looked lonely, and a little sad. It was the most un-Malfoyish thing she had ever seen and it warmed her heart.

Stepping forward again, she placed her hands on his shoulders and stood on tiptoe to bring herself closer to his height. She put her head very close to his. She could smell his cologne. It was sharp and crisp smelling, but with an undercurrent of warmth to it.

"You are not empty," Ginny whispered in his ear, then pulled back. He looked at her with a mixture of confusion and sorrow. For once he didn't have a smart-ass reply. He just smiled at her. It was a real smile, gentle and slightly crooked. Ginny smiled back, wondering if some part of her had gone completely off the deep end.

'Come on in, the water's nice!' that part of her shouted back and Ginny's smile turned into a grin. She had no idea what was happening, but she was more then willing to go along for the ride.

**A/N: **I know there's not much dialogue in this one. Don't worry, the next chapter will make up for it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you have the chance, check out the two songs I mentioned. The second one was 'Bring Me To Life' by Evanescence. I really feel they describe Draco and Ginny pretty well. Please, please, PLEASE review! I love hearing from people. The next chapter should be up soon. I promise I'll try to keep updating as quickly as I can. Thanks!


	4. Chapter Four Conversations

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this are mine, they all belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I'm also making zero cash off of this, mores the pity.

**A/N**: Lots of dialogue in this one. And a back rub. ;) hehe

**Chapter Four**

**Conversations**

"You are not empty." The words rang in Draco's head, reverberating through his soul. He wasn't sure exactly what it meant, that she affected him this much, but he didn't care. Just as long as he could stay near her, he was content not to try to analyze any of it.

"Do – do you want to go sit down?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if he could dance anymore. His legs felt like they might give out at any moment, and it would be most undignified for a Malfoy to crumple to the ground like some swooning princess.

"Sure," Ginny replied, walking back towards the bar. Draco followed, unable to stop himself from noticing how good she looked in those jeans. He quickly pulled his eyes back up to her face when they reached the bar. He reached out a hand and gently touched her elbow.

"Why don't we get some drinks and then go somewhere quieter?" Draco suggested when she turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Sounds good," Ginny replied, rubbing her temple with one hand, grimacing slightly. "The noise is getting to me."

"How about I get the drinks and you go find a booth?" Draco asked, subtly giving her the option of sitting down sooner and not spending any more money. Ginny nodded in agreement.

"Would you like another Coke, or something else?" Draco asked before he went up the bar. Ginny gave him a strange look.

"What?" he asked defensively, unsure of why she was looking at him like that.

"You knew what I was drinking before?" she asked, raising one eyebrow and smirking (quite impressively, Draco grudgingly admitted) at him.

"I'm very observant," Draco replied coolly, looking down his nose at her in a regal way. The effect was somewhat ruined by the blush creeping up his neck. Ginny just laughed and shook her head.

"Water's fine," she said, still smiling, and left to go find a deserted booth in the quieter back section of the club. Draco stood there stunned for a moment, watching her leave. He had never heard her really laugh before. He had never heard something so… free before, so joyful and unconstrained. It rendered him immobile.

Someone jostled him. Draco frowned at the man, who glowered back at him. Then he shook himself and advanced towards the bar. He ordered two waters and then began to carry them towards the booths, dodging dancers and trying desperately not to spill the drinks all over himself.

Ginny walked into the more dimly lit back of the club. Here the music was muffled and the lights were low, illuminated here and there by soft lamps. It created a shadowed, obscure atmosphere, and judging from the sounds coming from a majority of the curtained booths, many couples were taking full advantage of the privacy.

Slipping into one of the empty booths near the back, Ginny let her head sink into her hands, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes. Her head was aching slightly. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. All her muscles were tight, especially those in her neck and shoulders. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to relax.

"Here." The voice made her jump. She looked up and saw Malfoy standing next to the booth, holding out a glass of water.

"Take it," he said, his voice almost what she would call gentle. "It will help."

Ginny took the glass with a murmur of thanks and sipped it. The cool water was so refreshing that she sighed and smiled, taking a longer draught. Malfoy smiled at her as he sat down across from her and subtly pulled the curtains shut. He didn't want anyone peeking in on them.

"Good?" he asked, grinning at the redhead across from him as he took a drink of his own water.

"Fantastic," she replied, glass empty, sitting back in her seat and smiling in contentment. Draco took out his wand and murmured a Refilling Charm. Her glass filled up with water again. Ginny looked at Malfoy, frowning slightly.

"What?" the blond asked, a blush beginning to creep up his neck again.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Ginny asked, deciding that blunt was the best way to go about it.

"What do you mean?" Malfoy hedged, suddenly becoming very interested in the contents of his glass.

"Malfoy, c'mon," Ginny said, leaning forwards and looking at him intently. "This is me. Last school year you never even spoke to me unless it was to hurl an insult my way. So why are you rushing to my defense, talking to me, buying me drinks, and acting like an overall gentleman."

"Is there something wrong with that?" he asked, looking at her defensively, his mouth set in a stern line.

"No," Ginny replied, reaching out across the table to touch his hand, but stopping short and resting it on the table instead. "No, there isn't. I'm not complaining. To be honest, when you're not acting like you have the trunk of a redwood up your ass, I actually kind of like you. But, you've got to admit, it's kind of weird, you just suddenly completely changing your attitude. It just makes me wonder what you want from me."

Malfoy's mouth softened a little. He smiled, but in a self-deprecating way. He took another sip of water and looked at Ginny. His eyes were dark and guarded looking, but she thought she saw some warmth in them too.

"I don't want anything from you, Ginny," he said softly, leaning forward and looking her straight in the eye. "At least, not what you'd expect me to want. I'm not after an easy shag or a one-night stand. If I was, I certainly wouldn't have come to you. I'd like to keep all my body parts, thank you."

Ginny grinned at that. She looked at Malfoy, really looked at him. He looked so different from the arrogant git who had tormented her brother and his friends for going on seven years. It was the same blond hair and grey eyes, but there was something different. Not exactly softer, but different.

"You know, I think that's the first time I've ever heard you use my actual name, Draco" Ginny said, smiling at him. He jumped slightly at the sound of his first name. But then he smiled back at her, a gleam lighting up his grey eyes.

"So, what do you want from me?" Ginny asked, taking another sip of water.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, looking at her in confusion, a slight crease appearing between his eyes.

"Well, you said what you didn't want," Ginny said, her voice very logical, watching Draco intently. "But you never told me what you _do_ want."

"Um – well –" Draco floundered, getting red around the collar again. Ginny grinned, enjoying watching him squirm. That was one of the nice things about his pale skin. He turned such a pretty shade of pink.

"Come on, Draco, spit it out," Ginny drawled, laughter in her voice. He glowered at her.

"I want to know why you looked so upset when you came in tonight," he replied, watching her. Ginny quickly stopped laughing. She cocked her head to the side while she looked at him, trying to figure him out

"How did you know I was upset?" she asked, looking at him questioningly. Draco shrugged.

"Observant," he replied, his face not giving anything away. Ginny looked at him and wondered if she should tell him.

Draco could tell she was deciding whether or not to tell him. He just sat there, not saying anything, not wanting to pressure her into anything. He regretted bringing it up. He hadn't meant to upset her, but the automatic reaction of taking back the power had reared its ugly head. But he really did want to know. So he just waited.

"It's Harry," she said finally, glancing away. Draco felt a sneer curl his lips and tried very hard to repress it.

"What's Potty done now?" he asked acidly, then wanted to bite off his tongue. He hadn't meant for the insult to slip out, but it was second-nature to him. Ginny glared at him.

"Sorry," he muttered, dropping his eyes and looking at her hand. "Habit, you know? You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."

"It's alright," Ginny said, smiling at Draco. "I know you guys will never get along. And sometimes he deserves it. But he's my friend, so I kind of have to defend him. It's a matter of principle."

Draco looked up, relieved to see her smiling at him. He didn't want the redhead mad at him. That usually led to rather painful things which he wanted to avoid for the moment.

"So, why were you upset with Potter?" he asked, his curiosity peaked. Then he kicked himself. He probably sounded really insensitive. Merlin, why on earth was this girl turning him into a bumbling, confused fool? The one thing he had never had trouble with was talking to females.

"I'm not upset with him, not really," Ginny said, looking past Draco, her eyes turning sad. "I'm more upset with myself. You see, I ran into Harry when I came home last night. Quite literally, actually. And I was all shaky from the attack. He noticed, so I brought him to my room and explained everything to him. Then I kind of broke down and he hugged me."

"Oh really?" Draco asked, the edges of his vision tinged with red. The question came out as more of a hiss. If she told him that Potter had tried anything, Draco swore he would go and personally rend that boy limb from limb.

"It was nice," Ginny continued, ignoring Draco, lost in her memories. "But then he kissed me." Draco grabbed the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He clenched his teeth and had to stop himself from getting up right then and going to kill Potter. How dare he touch her!

"But I just couldn't reciprocate," Ginny continued, hanging her head and running a hand through her hair, tucking it behind her ear and rubbing her neck in a weary way. Draco froze.

"What?" he asked, completely stunned. He could not have heard her right. She did not just say she rejected Harry Potter.

"I know," Ginny said, looking slightly pained. "I mean, I've had a crush on him for six years, ever since I first saw him when I was ten years old. But it just didn't feel… right."

"How did he react to that?" Draco asked, trying not to sound too eager. He didn't want to be an ass, but this was just too good. Potter had been turned down by Ginny! He could have gotten up on the table and sung. His Malfoy dignity, however, prevented that.

"He asked if there was someone else," Ginny said, her cheeks turning slightly red. Suddenly she seemed very interested in the table and rubbed her neck again.

"Is there?" Draco asked when it became clear she wasn't going to say anything else, unsure if he wanted to know the answer to that question.

"No," Ginny replied, but she was now extremely red. Draco wondered if that was a good sign or not. Either she was embarrassed to be talking about this kind of thing to _him_, of all people, or she was hiding something. And Draco's money was on the second option.

"Is your neck sore?" he asked after letting the tension stew for a few more moments, unable to stop himself from wanting to make her squirm just a _little_ bit.

"A bit," Ginny replied, rubbing it again, seemingly grateful for the change in topic. "I guess I'm just tense."

Draco debated with himself for a few moments, but then decided, what the hell. If he was in for a Knut, then he might as well be in for a Galleon, as the saying goes.

"Would you like some help?" Draco asked, his voice innocent.

"Define help," Ginny replied, looking at him suspiciously.

"Nothing nefarious, I promise," Draco said, grinning at her. "I was thinking more along the lines of a back massage."

Ginny looked at him for a few minutes, her gaze calculating. Draco wondered what she was thinking.

"Okay," she said finally. Draco's eyebrows shot up, but he worked to hide his surprise as he got up and moved around to sit beside her.

Ginny smiled to herself. She knew Draco had been surprised when she agreed to the back rub. Hell, she was surprised that she had agreed to the back rub. But her neck really was killing her.

"Face the wall," Draco said as he sat down beside her. Ginny did what she was told, giving him her back. She felt him gather her hair in his hands and move it over one shoulder. Was it her imagination, or did he seem reluctant to let her hair slip out of his fingers?

His cool hands rested on her shoulders. Ginny could feel gooseflesh rise up all along her arms. It was from the cold, she assured herself. His long, slender fingers began to knead her shoulder muscles and she nearly moaned with pleasure.

It felt so good. He seemed to know where every single knot was. He attended to all of them with patience and persistence, working from her shoulder up her neck. Ginny let herself relax and sat there in a half-daze, sighing in relief whenever a particularly tense knot let loose.

When he was finished, Ginny let herself relax back against him. She felt him tense when she leaned against him, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get as comfortable as she could. After a second she felt him relax and hesitantly wrap an arm around her shoulder, letting her lean against his chest. She sighed in contentment, feeling half-asleep and completely at ease in his presence.

Draco's heart was racing. He gathered her long red hair in his hands and moved it gently over one shoulder. It was like liquid flame in his hands, slipping and shifting, but seeming to cling to him at the same time. He didn't want to let it go, but he knew she would be curious if he didn't.

Her shoulders were exposed now, the creamy, freckled expanse of skin broken only by the straps of the black cotton tank top she was wearing. Draco swallowed silently, then gently placed his hands on her bare skin.

She was warm. That shouldn't have surprised him though. She was always warm. He could feel how tense she was. The muscles were bunched under his hands and he could feel the numerous knots caused by the constant tension.

Draco began to work on the first knot, rubbing and smoothing and pressing with his fingers, palms, and thumbs. Little by little he felt the tension ease. Ginny let out a soft sigh as the first knot let loose.

A small smile flitted over his lips. Draco knew that he was good at this kind of thing. He was in high demand with the girls of his House. Every night there would be at least one or two that would come up to him, asking for a massage and willing to give anything in return. Draco made a small fortune off of them and he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that they would pay just for his touch.

But with Ginny it was different. All those other girls always felt so breakable in his hands, like they would break at any moment. Their muscles were almost nonexistent and their skin also seemed to feel like snakeskin, dry and cool to the touch.

Ginny, on the other hand, felt solid and real. Draco could feel the muscles in her shoulders moving under his hands as he kneaded them. Her skin wasn't doll-smooth, but textured with scars and divots. It was like her skin was a history of her life, only he didn't know how to read the language.

There was one particularly large indent on her left shoulder. Draco ran his hands over it a few times, wanting to ask what it was from but not wanting to disrupt the comfortable silence that lay between them.

At last every knot was worked out. Draco spent a few more moments just rubbing her skin, but he didn't want to explain himself to her, so he took his hands away. They felt empty and wrong. He wanted to touch her again, but didn't dare. With any other girl Draco wouldn't have been intimidated in the least. But it was agreed by all the guys in Hogwarts that the youngest Weasley warranted a great amount of caution.

Ginny let out an explosive breath and, eyes half closed, leaned back against him. Draco froze, every muscle in his body going tense. It was the sheer casualness with which she did it that shocked him the most.

One part of him, the part that was an arrogant pure-blood Slytherin, was sternly telling him to shrug her off and laugh at her presumption. To think that the Malfoy heir, the epitome of Slytherin, would ever allow a Muggle-loving Gryffindor brat to touch him with any familiarity was absurd.

But the other part, the part that was a solitary and (though he would never admit it) lonely guy, was fighting strongly for her to stay there. His mind zoomed into overdrive and quickly presented him with a series of images that made Draco devoutly thankful that Ginny Weasley could not read minds.

That side of him dominated the other and Draco hesitantly wrapped an arm around Ginny, wondering if he was asking for an elbow to the groin. But she just snuggled a little closer, letting her head rest on the back of the seat very close to his. Draco's breath caught in his throat as the scent of her wafted up off her hair. It smelled like woodsmoke and vanilla and just a hint of wildflowers. It took all of Draco's willpower not to bury his nose in her hair.

"Thanks," she said, her voice low and relaxed sounding. "That's exactly what I needed. My shoulders have been in knots for weeks."

"My pleasure," Draco replied, his voice rumbling out of his chest far deeper then it had before. Pink tinged his cheeks and he hastily cleared his throat, berating himself. He would not let her turn him into a hormone-driven wreck! He had his pride.

They sat for a while in a companionable silence. Ginny made no move to pull away from him and Draco was more then happy to simply sit there with his arm around her. He knew he should be talking to her, using this opportunity to find out more about her, but he couldn't think of anything to say.

"You know, I've been sitting it here for a while trying to think of something to say, but I'm coming up completely blank," Ginny said after several more minutes had past. Draco laughed, a real smile cutting across his face for the first time in a long time.

"Same here," Draco assured her, still smiling. Leave it to Ginny to cut straight through all the social niceties and get right to the point.

"What's you're favorite food?" Ginny asked suddenly. Draco looked at her, though he could really only see the top of her head, utterly perplexed.

"What?" he asked. Ginny turned her face towards him so that it was merely a few inches away. Draco could have counted every freckle on her nose and he swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry.

"What's your favorite food?" she repeated, grinning at him. Draco had to kick his mind back into working order.

"Umm…" Draco said, swallowing hastily, buying himself time to think. "I don't know. Strawberries, I guess."

"Strawberries?" Ginny repeated, looking at him with one eyebrow raised, grinning.

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" Draco retorted defensively, a cold note creeping into his voice.

"No, no, that's not what I meant," Ginny said hastily, looking contrite. "I'm just surprised. I figured you'd say some obscure, fancy food and I would have no idea what it was. It's kind of funny though, 'cause strawberries are my favorite food as well. Especially when they're dipped in chocolate."

Draco looked at the redhead smiling impishly up at him and felt himself relax. He had immediately assumed that she was poking fun at him. Well, she had been, but not maliciously.

"Alright, my turn," Draco said, realizing this was a perfect opportunity to find out more about her. "What's your favorite flower?"

"Tiger lily," Ginny replied immediately, her eyes lighting up, delighted that he was playing along. "What's your favorite song?"

"New World Symphony, by Antonin Dvorak," Draco said. Ginny looked at him, then shook her head, sighing.

"What?" he asked, unsure of why his answer had provoked such a reaction.

"Typical," Ginny replied, shaking her head again, her voice teasing. "I really shouldn't expect more from someone so proper. But honestly, you _need_ to listen to some better music. Relax a little. Go wild."

"You should listen to your own advice, little redhead," Draco said, looking her directly in the eye. "You hold too much back. You don't go half as wild as you would like to."

Ginny didn't say anything, merely looked back at him, her brown eyes impenetrable. Draco wondered if he had pushed it too far, but he knew he was right. He could see it, see the restrictions she put on herself, because she was afraid of what would happen if she let go completely.

"Am I wrong?" he asked quietly. Ginny still refused to answer him. Her face was blank, a mask.

"It's your turn to ask a question," she said, her voice cheery and playful. But Draco knew better. She was hiding, hiding from the truth in his statements. Fine. That just made the mission all the more fun.

"What's one thing that you've never done that you desperately want to?" he asked, deciding to take this little game of theirs to a new level. Ginny looked at him, one eyebrow raised, a wicked gleam in her eye. A grin curled slowly across his lips as he realized what she was thinking.

"I meant it in a wholesome and pure way, but if you wish to disclose some longed for sexual fantasies, by all means, be my guest," Draco said, his voice filled with deep laughter. Ginny laughed and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"I want to go riding," she said, a dreamy look crossing her face as she gazed off into the distance.

"But you ride brooms all the time," Draco said, confused.

"Not a broom, you idiot," she replied, rolling her eyes at him in a good-natured way. "I meant a horse. I've always wanted to ride a horse."

"Oh," Draco said, finally understanding. He looked at Ginny, his mind working on this new piece of information, analyzing it and filing it away for a time when it would best benefit him to use it.

"I know, it's stupid," Ginny said, looking away again and getting that far off look. "I mean, how could it compare to flying on a broom? But I don't know, I've just always wanted to try it, ever since I can remember. Maybe one day, when I'm older, I'll go to a Muggle farm and learn how to ride."

Draco made a noncommittal noise. His mind was racing, quickly formulating a plan. Ginny looked at him, then looked casually down at her watch. She swore violently, jumping Draco.

"What?" he asked, looking around, convinced a Death Eater was peering in the curtains of the booth even as he spoke.

"It's so late!" Ginny said, pulling away and attempting to clamber over Draco. "I've probably already missed the last bus that will take me home. Fuck!"

"Ginny, calm down," Draco said, putting a hand on her shoulder and pulling her back down onto the seat. "Don't worry, I can take you home if you've missed you transport."

"What?" Ginny asked, looking at Draco, completely shocked. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, it is my fault you're here this late," Draco replied, his voice rational. But his heart was racing. Ginny's close proximity was wreaking havoc on his senses. Her scent seemed to envelop him in a delicious wave.

"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," Ginny said, completely oblivious to her affect on him. "If my parents, brothers, or hell, even Harry, catch you near that place they will remove some rather vital body parts."

"Well how else are you going to get back? Walk?" Draco asked, internally rolling his eyes. As if he didn't know what Potty and the Weasel clan would do to him if they found him near Ginny. Why did the girl have to be so stubborn? Ginny didn't say anything. It was obvious she didn't have any solution to the problem.

"Just let me take you home," Draco said. He had meant for it to come out as a command but it came out more like a plea. Ginny sighed.

"Fine!" she said, sounding thoroughly exasperated. "But we have to leave now. I'm already tempting fate as it is. If Mum checks on me and I'm not there, I'm going to be six feet under in a matter of seconds."

"Alright," Draco agreed, sliding out the booth. He held the curtain for her as she slipped out, which earned him more raised eyebrows.

"Why do you do that?" Ginny asked as they walked towards the club entrance.

"Do what?" Draco said as she retrieved her coat from behind the bar. He walked forward and opened the door, holding it for Ginny.

"That," Ginny said, gesturing to the door. Draco looked at the door in surprise, as if he had just realized he was holding it.

"I don't know," Draco replied, shrugging, gesturing for Ginny to walk through. "It's the way I was raised. It's polite. What, you've never had a guy hold a door for you before?"

"Oh, I have," Ginny said, giving Draco another strange look before walking through the door. "But they only do it because they want something from me. They want me to think that they're decent guys so they can get what they want from me."

Draco looked at Ginny. There was a shadow in her eyes. He could see something lurking in the dark depths, something she repressed. It wasn't the same as the wildness he had seen before. No, this was an old memory, one filled with pain.

"Does it work?" he asked quietly, facing her. Ginny shook her head, not meeting his eyes directly.

"Not anymore," she said, her voice empty. Draco felt a twinge in his chest, followed by the burning urge to go find whoever put that pain in her and subject them to the most painful torture he could devise.

"Come on, Ginny," he said, his voice tinged with warmth. "Let's get you home."

He held out his arm. Ginny looked at him. Draco felt as if he had been pinned to the spot by her eyes. They burrowed into him, but he didn't fight. He looked back at her, completely calm. Ginny smiled slightly and slipped her arm around his. Draco closed his eyes and with a slight ruffled of displaced air, the pair vanished.

Ginny felt as if she had just been squeezed down a small pipe. She staggered, gasping for air. A pair of strong arms caught her and steadied her, holding her in place until she got her bearings.

She was standing at the bottom of the hill on which her house was perched with Draco Malfoy, the sworn enemy she had spent most of the night with. The strangeness of it all hit her and suddenly Ginny felt very tired. She turned away from the grey-eyed youth and started towards the path that led to the house.

"Ginny." The sound of his voice stopped her. She turned back to look at him. His blond hair was tousled, but still elegant-looking, and his grey eyes seemed to shine with some inner light.

"What?" she asked, her voice sounding as tired as she felt. He shifted from foot to foot, a very uncommon gesture for the arrogant Malfoy heir.

"Do you think you could get away tomorrow?" he asked, looking at her, eye unreadable. "During the day I mean. There's something that I want to show you that I think you would enjoy."

"What is it?" Ginny asked warily. The blond youth grinned, his trademark smirked mixed with mirth.

"It's a surprise," he said, still grinning. Ginny looked at him, trying to see what his motives were. He just looked back at her, feigning an innocent look that did not sit well on him at all. Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes.

"I can tell Mum that I'm going over to Luna's," she said, unsure of why exactly she was agreeing to go with him. "Meet me at the Muggle café in town at eleven o'clock."

"Alright," he replied, his grin turning into a smirk. "See you tomorrow… Red."

With a crack he was gone. Ginny rolled her eyes. Stupid git, always had to get the last word in. Turning, Ginny began the long climb up the rock-riddled path, still trying to figure out why on earth she had agreed to something that sounded suspiciously like a date with Draco Malfoy.

**A/N:** I'm really looking forward to the next chapter. Things are going to get interesting. There will be chocolate-covered strawberries, sunshine, leather, and a lake. I'm hoping that my ability to get updates on fast will continue, but school may get in the way, so please be patient with me! And please, please, please leave some comments! Likes, dislikes, favorite lines, anything. I love feedback. Thanks!


	5. Chapter Five The Malfoy Family

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this are mine, they all belong to J. K. Rowling. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I'm also making zero cash off of this, mores the pity.

**A/N**: I'm so sorry this one took so long! Stupid life keeps getting in the way. Hopefully it's been worth the wait.

**Chapter Five**

**The Malfoy Family**

Ginny sat in the café, tapping her foot against the leg of the table and fidgeting with a napkin, folding it over and over again. She looked around for the tenth time that minute, scanning the crowd, convinced she had missed him, even though the likelihood of not noticing a tall, lean, pale seventeen year old guy with white-blond hair and grey eyes in this crowd of elderly old ladies was very slim.

"Stop that," Ginny ordered herself, looking at the napkin again, despising herself for acting like some thirteen year old girl waiting for her first date. "He'll either show up, or he won't. Looking around like an idiot won't help."

"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness," drawled a voice from behind her. Ginny froze, then turned around and grinned up at the blond Slytherin.

"I thought it was the first sign of genius?" she replied cheekily, chuckling. Draco grinned back at her, his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. The sun shone behind him, casting his face into shadows. But Ginny could see his eyes gleaming at her.

"So, didn't think I was going to show up, huh?" he asked, walking around and sitting down at Ginny's table in the chair across from her, smirking. Ginny felt the blood start to creep up her neck and she looked away.

"Well, it seemed like a possibility that you would just forget about me and I'd have to spend the rest of the afternoon sitting here drinking atrocious tea," Ginny replied casually, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a toss of her head. "You have to admit, it would be pretty par course for you."

"Still don't trust me, do you?" Draco said, shaking his head, smiling at her. But Ginny could see that same self-deprecation in his eyes that she had seen the night before.

"I don't trust anyone," Ginny replied, still trying to keep it light, but that sad look in his eyes touched her. Who knew that Draco Malfoy, the most arrogant and self-assured human being she had ever met, actually disliked himself.

"So, come on, are we going to go or what?" Ginny asked after a moment, not wanting the silence to get too heavy. "Unless you want something, that is. Though I must warn you, the tea here really is disgusting."

"No, I'm all set," Draco replied, smiling at her in a way that meant he knew something she didn't. "Besides, there will be plenty of refreshments where we're going."

"Oh, really?" Ginny said, raising an eyebrow at him. "And where exactly is that, again?"

"You really don't understand the meaning of the word 'surprise' do you?" Draco replied, laughing out loud. Ginny couldn't help but smile. The sound was so nice. It wasn't anything like the cold, insulting snicker she had always heard from him. This was a real laugh.

"Patience is not my strong suit," Ginny said, sighing. Draco just smirked at her. Standing, he offered her his hand. Ginny took it and stood up as well. Draco held out his arm and Ginny looped hers around it. She couldn't help smiling. She could get used to all this chivalrous, gallant white knight crap.

Draco's breath caught in his throat when she stood to face him. The sun hit her hair and turned it into living flames wreathing her head in a blazing wave. She had on a simple pair of jeans that were a little worn around the knees and a cropped light green shirt that barely covered her midriff. She should have looked like a poor, tomboyish Christmas tree. But she was radiant.

Draco offered her his arm, half out of habit and half out of the desire to have her touch him again. She smiled at him and slipped her arm around his. Instantly Draco felt better. He led them out of the café and around a corner into a deserted alleyway.

"Is this where you ravage me and leave my body for the Muggle police to find?" Ginny asked casually, looking at Draco out of the corner of her eye mischievously.

"How ever did you guess?" Draco said in mock astonishment, smirking at her. Ginny laughed and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"No," Draco continued, looking at her, his smirk turning into a mischievous grin. "This is where I do _this_."

With that Draco pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her tightly, and turned, carrying them both into the netherworld beyond the fabric of the solid world. Ginny let out a surprised squeak as she fell into his embrace. Draco couldn't help but smile as he buried his nose in her hair, sure that the unpleasant sensation of Apperating would hide his one moment of indulgence.

Ginny gasped for breath when they popped back into existence, staggering. Draco steadied her, hands gentle on her arms. Ginny smiled at him in thanks. She then looked around.

They were standing in a courtyard in front of a large wooden building. Fields stretched for miles, as far as the eye could see. A light breeze danced through the green grass and curled around them, bringing with it the scent of growing things and summer.

"It's beautiful," Ginny murmured, her eyes wide as she took in the glorious landscape. "Where are we?"

"This is part of the Malfoy estate," Draco replied. Ginny gasped, a thrill of adrenaline and tension shooting through her. There was no way that she should be here, practically in the back yard of a Death Eater. She tensed, getting ready to bolt, cursing herself for being so easily drawn into a trap.

"Ginny," Draco said, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders and looking into her face. "No one is going to hurt you here. This place is far away from the actual house. No one knows you're here."

"But what if your mother decides she fancies a trip out into the country?" Ginny asked, adrenaline still humming through her veins.

"No one ever comes out here, except for me," Draco assured her, his voice calm and soothing. Ginny looked at him, searching his grey eyes for any sign of deceit or treachery. He looked back at her, not trying to hide anything, allowing her to search his soul and do with it what she wished. Nodding, Ginny let out a deep breath, allowing herself relax.

Draco smiled at her, and again she was struck by the beauty of it. Draco had never been lacking in looks. His angular features, lithe body, and pale complexion made him attractive in a sharp, icy way. But when he smiled, truly smiled, it was like watching an iceberg melt just a little around the edges. He was still coldly beautiful, but now one could admire him without fear of cutting oneself on the razor edges.

"See something you like?" Draco asked, smirking at her and raising an eyebrow at the redhead. Ginny realized she had been staring at him and quickly looked away, a blush creeping up into her cheeks.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" she asked, quickly changing the subject as she gestured to the landscape with a sweep of her arm.

"Yes and no," Draco replied, grinning mischievously at her. "There's more. Come on."

With that he looped his arm around hers and led her in the direction of the wooden building. Grabbing one of the silver handles, Draco slid the door open with ease, leading Ginny into the cool shade. Ginny gasped, her eyes as big as saucers, when she saw what awaited them.

Draco watched Ginny, trying to ignore his racing heart. Astonishment and joy vied for dominance on her face as she drank in the sight of the three magnificent horses which stood in front of them. Joy dominated over the amazement and her face split into a huge grin.

"They're beautiful," she whispered, stepping closer to the stalls. "What are their names?"

"This is Stella," Draco said, guiding Ginny towards the fine-boned dappled grey mare in the leftmost stall. "She is my mother's horse. Her name means 'star'."

Ginny lifted her hand hesitantly, looking at Draco for permission. He nodded encouragingly, watching in fascination as Ginny gently stroked Stella's nose, murmuring softly to her. He was entranced by the beauty of it. She looked right, like she belonged there.

"She is gorgeous," Ginny said, looking at Draco, her brown eyes gentle and filled with peace. "And very sweet."

"The boys aren't as sweet as her," Draco said, dragging his eye off of Ginny and looking at the other two horses.

"Who is he?" Ginny asked, nodding to the massive white stallion who stood in the stall next to Stella's. He was glaring at them, ears pinned against his head.

"That's my father's horse Timeri," Draco said, regarding the stallion coolly, his mouth set in a thin like. "Be careful of him. His name means 'to be feared' and it's completely true. He'd as soon take a chunk out of you as look at you. It's not his fault though."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, looking from the stallion to Draco.

"My father isn't kind to him," Draco replied, his gaze still fixed on the horse, emotions churning in his stomach. "When he came to us, he was young and full of spirit. He had a good heart. But my father didn't want a horse with a mind of its own. So he whipped him and beat him. He eventually broke his spirit, leaving him mean and bitter."

Ginny was silent for a moment. Draco didn't look at her, merely continued to regard Timeri. He didn't want to see pity or fear or mistrust on her face. He knew she was an apt reader of people and did not want her to see through his mask.

A small, warm hand slipped into his. Draco looked at Ginny in surprised, completely taken aback by her action. She just smiled at him. But her eyes were filled with comprehension and understanding.

"You aren't like him," she said, nodding towards Timeri. "You aren't broken."

"How do you know?" Draco asked, hating himself for sounding so weak and vulnerable. He tried to pull his hand away, but she just held on tighter.

"Because," Ginny replied, giving his hand a small squeeze before letting it slide away. "I can see it in your eyes. You may be battered and bruised, but he has not broken you yet. You are too strong for that."

Draco felt his throat close up. He had no idea what to say to that, merely looked at her, drinking her in with his eyes. She met his gaze unflinchingly. The emotions between them grew thicker and thicker until you could have cut it with a knife. Part of Draco wanted to hold onto her and never let go while the other half demanded that he flee from this threat to his shields. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He broke the eye contact and turned towards the stall on the right.

"This is Volare," Draco said, his voice thicker than usual, walking over the large black stallion in the last stall. "He is mine. Mother always says he is the brother I never had."

"What does his name mean?" Ginny asked, walking over to the stall and offering her hand to the tall animal. Volare looked at her contemplatively for a few moments, then delicately sniffed her hand. He regarded Ginny for a moment, then began to lip at her hair. Ginny laughed, gently rubbing the side of his nose.

Draco's heart leapt at the sound of her laugh. He had heard her laugh before, but never like this. She sounded so happy. Draco looked at her. Her creamy skin shone against Volare's black cheek and her hair looked like living flame caressing his horse's nose as the stallion nuzzled her, obviously enjoying her scent. She was the picture of beauty. She belonged there.

"He likes you," Draco said, smiling mysteriously at her, refusing to answer her question. "Consider yourself lucky. He tries to take the head off of anyone he doesn't want to tolerate."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Ginny said, grinning at him, laying her cheek against Volare's nose and giving him a kiss. Draco rolled his eyes.

"If you're quite done snogging my horse, I'd like to get a move on," he drawled, trying very hard not to laugh. Ginny gave Volare one more quick kiss before stepping back, smiling.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking at him again. Draco could see the disappointment in her eyes at the thought of leaving the barn. Draco smiled, eager for the next part of his plan.

"I told you there was going to be refreshments didn't I?" he asked, grinning at her. "You just wait here, I'll be right back."

With that Draco turned away and walked quickly to the tack room. He grabbed Volare's bridle from the hook where it was hanging and returned to the stall. Brushing past Ginny, he slipped into the stall and help up the beautiful leather bridle.

Volare obediently lowered his head and allowed Draco to slip the supple leather over his ears. Draco did up the straps with the ease of long practice and gathered the reins into one hand. He opened the door and led Volare out.

"Come on," he said, sliding his arm around Ginny's waist as he walked past. "The best part is yet to come."

The trio walked out of the barn and into the brilliant sunlight. Ginny stopped and closed her eyes, letting the sun soak into her pores, smiling dreamily. Draco halted as well, taking the opportunity just to look at her. He should have been put off by the freckles and the garish red hair, which obviously marked her as a Weasley, but he wasn't. Right now it didn't matter that she was a Weasley and he was a Malfoy. All that mattered was that she was here.

Volare, who was getting tired of all this standing still crap, nudged Draco hard with his nose. His revere broken, Draco glared at the horse, who looked innocently back, before tossing the reins over Volare's head.

"Don't you need a saddle?" Ginny asked, opening her eyes and looking at Draco, who snorted.

"Saddles are for wimps," he said derisively, resting his hand on Volare's withers and swinging himself up with ease. Draco settled himself comfortably on his steed's strong back and leaned down, offering his hand to Ginny.

"What do you want me to do?" Ginny asked, looking at his hand in askance. Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"It's really quite simple, Miss Weasley," he drawled, trying to adopt the loftiest tone possible. "When a gentleman on a horse offers a lady his hand, it is very clear that he wishes for her to ride with him."

"Ride?" Ginny asked, her eyes getting huge. She then looked at the ground and Draco could see the blood creeping up her neck. He wondered what she had just thought of that would cause her to turn such a delicious color. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Draco replied, leaning down even farther and gently taking her hand. "That was the whole reason I brought you out here. So you could ride and smile and not worry about life for a few hours at the least. Now come on."

"I don't know how to ride," Ginny heard herself, then wished she could slap her hand over her mouth. Obviously she didn't know how to ride, she'd never done it before! Ginny waited for the sarcastic comment, but it never came.

"I know," Draco said, scooting backwards so there was a space between him and Volare's neck. "Just jump up in front of me and sit astride. You can hold onto Volare's mane for stability, it won't hurt him. Don't worry, I'll help you."

Ginny looked up at the blond youth and saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. Taking a deep breath she nodded and stepped forward until she could feel the heat from Volare's body. He really was quite tall up close.

'Here goes nothing,' Ginny thought, then launched herself upwards. She slammed hard into Volare's solid side and felt herself sliding towards the ground. She tried to find something to hold onto, but her hands met empty air.

Something grabbed her by the back of the pants and hauled her up. Ginny managed to swing one leg over Volare's neck so as not to kick Draco in the face, but her sudden movement caused her to lose her balance and she began to slide again. Remembering what Draco had said, Ginny grabbed ahold of Volare's mane and steadied herself, settling more solidly behind his withers.

"Well," she said, feeling very red in the face. "I'm sure I've had more ungraceful moments then that in my life, but they're all escaping me at the moment."

"Want to know a secret?" Draco asked, scooting up behind her. The feel of his warm body pressing up against hers momentarily caused all thought to flee from Ginny's head and she almost forgot to nod.

"The first time I tried to get on bareback, I bounced right off his side," Draco said, and Ginny could hear the smile in his voice. "It took me almost a month before I finally was able to do it."

"I can't imagine you doing anything ungraceful," Ginny said, not thinking. She then realized what she had said and wondered if she should just kill herself now. He must think she was a complete babbling idiot.

"It doesn't happen very often," Draco replied, laughing. "Thankfully only Blaise was around to see it and I've sworn him to secrecy."

Volare chose that moment to toss his head, pawing at the ground. Draco laughed again, reaching around Ginny to stroke the horse's silken black neck. Ginny tensed as his arm brushed against hers, then scolded herself. She wasn't some asexual preacher's daughter. Touching him was not a big deal. It didn't matter that whenever he brushed up against her her heart began to race and it felt like lightning was dancing across her skin. She wouldn't let it be said that Ginny Weasley flinched away from Draco Malfoy.

"Alright, boy, alright, we'll go," Draco said to Volare, his voice full of good humor.

"Hold on tight." This comment was directed at Ginny. She opened her mouth to reply, but two strong arms came around her to take a tighter hold on the reins and suddenly her brain didn't seem to be functioning. Draco nudged Volare in the side and then they were moving.

Draco nudged Volare up into a canter and directed the horse towards the gate that led to the fields. Ginny sat in front of him, her back pressed up against his chest. Draco longed to wrap an arm around her waist, but figured he would merely get an elbow to the stomach for his pains.

Volare's feet rang on the stones of the courtyard, the clatter echoing in his ears. Draco relaxed and let himself move with the stallion, greatly enjoying Volare's long, rolling stride.

He noticed Ginny seemed to be having a hard time. She kept grabbing onto Volare's mane and trying to steady herself. Her back was stiff and she slammed into the stallion's bony withers with every stride.

"Ginny," Draco said, leaning forward so that she could hear him. "It's okay. Just relax. Let your body follow his motion. Just like you're dancing."

The redhead didn't say anything, but Draco felt her take a deep breath. Her tense back slowly relaxed and she began to let her hips rock with Volare's movement. Draco smiled, glad that she had listened to him.

Her hips bumped against his. She leaned back, pressing herself against him, letting their pelvises rock together. Draco's breath caught in his throat as she moved in one slow, languid roll after another.

Swallowing, his mouth suddenly dry, Draco tried to remind himself that this was _Ginny Weasley_ and if he gave any indication that he was enjoying this she would no doubt remove him of some valuable body parts.

The clatter of iron-shod hooves on stone gave way to the dull thump of feet on grass. Draco could feel Volare tensing beneath him. The stallion knew what was coming. Draco leaned forward and put his lips next to Ginny's ear.

"To fly," he said, his voice just loud enough for her to hear. "That's what 'Volare' means. Hold on tight, Red, because you are about to learn how to soar."

With that Draco loosened his grip on the reins and let Volare have his head. The stallion's ears shot forward and his hooves dug into the turf as all of the coiled energy in his muscles burst forth.

**A/N:** I'm so sorry for the wait, all of my teachers decided that this would be a wonderful time to load us up on homework. And I've been having a serious case of writer's block. So in order to ease the wait a bit I decided to split what was supposed to be one chapter into two. February break is coming up so I should be able to get more chapters up then. In the meantime, please be patient and please, please review! It keeps me inspired and keeps me writing.


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